Second Chance
by RozeXhunter
Summary: What if someone was reincarnated as Taniyama Mai. And will they change things? Time to find out! Self-insert as Mai story. Ghost Hunt will never be the same.
1. Chapter 1

**I want to write a reincarnation fic of Mai since there aren't that many (or any as far as I'm concerned). The story which gave me that final push is Swapsies and Quandaries by CallMeQuackerz. Now on to the story!**

Xoxoxoxoxox

Hi! My name is Mai Taniyama and I'm 5 years old.

 _Hi, my name is Maria Walker and I am 20 years old._

My Dad died when I was little so it's just me and Mom now.

 _I have two loving parents, an overprotective older brother and an adorable baby sister_.

I started pre-school this year and it's really fun!

 _I have a college degree and am on my way to a university diploma._

Mom has started getting sick so she has been visiting the doctors a lot lately.

 _The worst injury I've gotten is a dislocated knee and my parents were always healthy._

Sometimes I remember weird things, but they always seem to comfort me so I don't tell Mommy.

 _Sometimes I remember my whole life while in this childish body, but the memories are too much to handle so I forget them._

My teachers say I'm really talented but somehow I know they're wrong.

 _Of course they're wrong, I am kind of cheating with my past life and all._

Isn't cheating bad?

 _Not in this case, it's not something I chose to do, it was_ never _my choice_.

I am starting to feel like an impostor in my own body. Who was here first; Mai or Maria?

 _I am as much Mai as I am Maria, we are not two people; we are one and the same..._

I think I need to _wake up..._

SCREECH!

 _CRASH!_

Pain.

And now, I remember.


	2. Chapter 2

I remember.

My life before and after death.

I was driving to my mother's tea shop. She always had a passion for mixing them together to make something new and interesting, though our mutual favorites were coco-chai, golden oolong and earl grey.

The roads were covered in ice but most people had common sense and put on their winter tires. My brother had changed them for me a few weeks ago so I did not need to worry about it. The roads were pretty dark in this area so not many people drove through them. I guess I was unlucky because at the moment I came at a cross-road another car slammed into mine and sent it tumbling down a ditch with me as its passenger.

I felt my seat belt dig into my neck as glass cut into me. I couldn't hear anything, it was like a buzzing in my head. From here I could see two people. One looked like they were having an urgent phone call while the other was opening and closing his mouth towards me. I guess asking if I'm ok or something.

I was going to answer but my voice caught in my throat and I realized the world was spinning and soon my vision was consumed by darkness but...

I wasn't done living yet!

I haven't finished school, I haven't found the job of my dreams, I haven't found love yet, I haven't had kids, I wanted to make my mother proud, I wanted to attend my baby sister's graduation, I wanted to play video games with my brother again, I wanted to beat my dad in a fight...

I wanted to live.

I want to live!

OxoxoxoxO

I could hear soft voices, it was warm, and I would get more and more space to move every once in a while.

What happened next was fuzzy in my memory; it was cold, I was crying and everything was blurry. My memories were not very clear so I can only assume that my body was making sure that I could handle the strain of them little by little.

Finally I was 5 and I could remember my past with crystal clarity.

That was also around the time I realized I was an anime character...

I was an avid reader of fanfiction in my past life so I didn't discard the idea right away. Even if I was her I would still act like myself: I've come too far to start worrying over something stupid like that so I accepted it and moved on. If the time ever comes that I meet Oliver, then I'll decide for myself what I want to do.

I studied Japanese in my past life so much I was fluent in the language and I could write in hiragana and katakana, though I only knew the most basic kanji. Basically I was above pre-school level so I always bugged my mom for books. If she saw me reading them, I'll never know but I had a feeling she knew I was different.

If she noticed some of those were about parapsychology she didn't mention it. No way could Naru call me an idiot like in the series.

xoxoxoxoxo

One of the similarities between my old mom and my new mom, Kimiko, was their love of tea though in his case it was mostly Japanese teas such as sencha, matcha, konacha and hojicha. (Which are basically different types of green tea)

I made sure not to trouble her too much since she worked every day because she was the only one to support us financially. I went to the pre-school, read books and played tag with the other kids (I always loved working out). I basically helped the kids where I could and had fun like a kid should.

"Mai!" called Souta another pre-school kid "come play!"

"Sure! Be there in a minute!" I called back.

Today we were visiting an old shrine. One of the care takers grew up around there and decided it was the perfect place for a day out with the kids. It was also the first time I went to a traditional Japanese shrine in both my lives. When we walked towards it my skin tingled and foreign emotions of worship and appreciation came to the forefront of my mind and I knew what Masako meant in the show: this was sacred ground. I was just surprised that I could feel it. I hadn't thought of exploring my powers too much before my body matured a bit, if I even had any. This pretty much confirmed it for me. I was some sort of psychic. I felt a brilliant smile crawl onto my lips. I couldn't wait to test them out and see exactly what I could do. As Souta kept calling I finally got a move on and joined him. That day was so much fun and I hoped to do it again one day.

Before I knew it I was 7 years old and my mother's hospital visits had increased significantly in the last 3 months. I knew in the original series that Kimiko died when Mai was in junior high school so 12-13-14 year's old maximum, since you can be legally emancipated at 14 and the original Mai had stayed with a teacher for a bit. What I knew for certain was that when Mai was 15 she lived alone.

I wanted to spend as much time as I could with my mom before disease could take her from me.

xoxoxox

I skipped 2 years of elementary school so I was 10 when I stated junior high and I always had top marks on my tests so I was an honor student. It also came to my attention that I had made a mistake; mom was getting worst and yesterday she collapsed at work and was rushed to the hospital. They called and I took a taxi to the hospital feeling dread pool at the bottom of my stomach. A nurse guided me to an open office and I heard what the doctor said. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer and suddenly I couldn't breathe. When the doctor noticed me at the door my mother was already scooping me up in her arms comforting me when she was the one who should be comforted...She told me not to cry and I noticed the tears flowing down my face which I buried in her neck with a wail of anguish.

She had a year to live.

She immediately put her affairs in order and made sure no one could take my inheritance from me, she arranged a small funeral for herself and she was looking for somewhere I could stay until I could live on my own. A teacher of mine, Yukimura-sensei, heard of our dilemma and offered her home to me if I wanted it. My mother and I discussed it and we agreed. She was my favorite teacher, though our relationship was now more friend oriented than the former.

That year was filled with smiles and tears and grief.

At the end of it though she passed with a smile on her face and I saw her spirit walking towards the light. And I knew she was safe now.

 **So, Mai is 12 now when her mom died. She lived 1 year and 6 months so Mai's birthday was like 3 months after the diagnosis+1 year+3months and her mother passes away. Or something. I'm a little confused about the dates so I'll only put them later on.**

 **I took razhel's advice and wrote a longer chapter than I would have.**

 **Thank you for your support and review to give me some writing tips from now on please!?**


	3. Chapter 3

**There are going to be 2-3 more chapters before the canon timeline starts.**

 **I do not own Ghost Hunt.**

 **oxoxoxo**

The funeral was a small, quiet thing. My mother's ashes were placed at our family tomb upon her passing. You could find me there burning incenses every day for a week straight in Kimiko Taniyama's honor. I promised myself this week for grieving and isolation, after that I would live as happily as I could.

After the funeral I moved in with Yukimura-sensei and her husband. I am so grateful to them for taking me in. My bed, bookcase and a desk of my choosing were placed in my new room. The rest of the stuff from my old house was packed and sent to a private storage unit my mother prepared for this scenario. My bookcase was filled with many types of books: picture books, novels, school manuals, history books, French, English and Japanese dictionaries and paranormal research books in all three of the aforementioned languages.

Yukimura-sensei, or Miyuki-san as she insisted, was incapable of having a baby so she was glad the room that was reserved for a child that would never come, was occupied by one that needed it. Because at this moment, that's what I was, a child.

I could move out when I was 14, so in two years I would have to be self-sufficient and live on my own again.

But for now I need to focus on finishing my last year in junior high school. My friends and I were not in the same class since I skipped two grades, but I made two new friends in my new class. At the beginning a few curious people asked me questions but they held an underline of jealousy and condescension so I answered bluntly and did not initiate much conversation. At the end though I met a bubbly and bright girl named Akane, who dragged me to her best friend, a girl named Shizuka and asked her "Can I keep her?"... The ensuing conversation was, in my opinion, highly entertaining. It kind of went like this:

"No."

"Please? I'll take care of her?"

"No, she's a person ask her."

"But you're like my mom, so I have to ask you. Plus you told me to ask you if I could bring someone to your house before I bring them to your house."

"You are not bringing her to my house"

"Please?"

"No."

"Pleaaaase?"

"NO!"

I couldn't help it and giggled at them. When I noticed they were staring at me I smiled and introduced myself.  
"Hi, my name is Taniyama, but you can call me Mai. It's nice to meet you."

That was the start to our friendship. Akane was innocent and naïve, Shizuka was a bookworm and I was an overachiever, but we all fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

Akane wasn't very good in school so Shizuka and I tutored her often and at some point afterwards I confessed to them that I was interested in parapsychology. They didn't make fun of me like I thought they would, they didn't even laugh it off like my other friends did. They just accepted it and listened to me when I told them of some of the research I was interested in or they would tell me about things they heard or read off the internet about the subject.

When I asked why, it was Shizuka who answered.

"I believe we are all unique in our own ways, and if ghosts are youre thing, then so be it. I dont believe in ghosts but I know you wouldn't talk to us about them if they weren't real, you wouldn't be passionate about something that doesn't exist. And frankly, you don't seem like the type that enjoys deceiving people. Ask Akane, she agrees. I still might not completely believe in ghosts but I believe in you and that's enough."

I felt warm inside so I smiled and hugged them both.

Xoxoxox

My birthday is on July 3rd. I'm going to be 13 and next April I'm going to start high school. Since I'm an orphan, certain schools offered me a scholarship, so my tuition is free. Akane was moving so her school was going to be 3 hours away and Shizuka was going to a private academy, so no matter what school I choose I won't be able to see them on a regular basis. With that in mind I chose a random school that was near where I live and accepted their offer, I'm not entirely sure why but it felt right and I knew in my heart that I would not regret it... and I have awesome instincts.  
For now though, I'm going to spend time with my friends.

You could probably imagine my surprise when I noticed it was the same school that the original Mai went to.

Xoxoxox

I got a part time job at a library, so after school, 5 times a week, from 3:00 to 9:00 pm, I work. The salary was good and all I had to do was sort books and register those that people wanted to borrow. I made a lot of money and I barely spent it except for necessities and the occasional treat.

I had a bad feeling one day about my job and I wanted to be able to support myself in case something happened to the library so I asked Yukimura-sensei and she helped me look for any potential jobs in case I got fired or if I wanted a higher salary.

Nothing happened for a while and so I doubted my intuition. Before the end of the school year though, in January, there was a fire and the library was burned down to the ground. The perpetrator of the event was caught and it was soon found out that the man was a mentally unstable pyromaniac that had stopped taking his medication. The workers who, luckily, were out on break when the fire started were unharmed. All employees were let go, but I quickly found a job at a restaurant. I was completely forbidden from cooking because I was still so young, so basically I was the jack of all trades in the restaurant. Clearing tables, cleaning, serving foods and drinks, preparing tea like an expert... which is how they discovered I made amazing tea so I was always in charge of making it if it was requested by a customer and that's how my name was known in the restaurant: _Mai, the tea girl._ I decided I really liked my new job. The people were nice like at the library, but here they were closer. It was a family run restaurant, but they had a bunch of employees because of how successful they were over the years. Its so humbling, to work so hard and to see it succeed.

 **Mai is going to turn 13 in the next chapter, but it's a bit confusing so I'll show you the basic Japanese school system.**

 **Junior high school  
Basic age VS Mai's age**

 **12-13VS 10-11 grade 7  
13-14VS 11-12 grade 8  
14-15 VS 12-13 grade 9**

 **High school**

 **15-16 VS 13-14 (next chapter is here) grade 10  
16-17VS 14-15(in the manga, Mai's friends thought Naru was in) grade 11  
17-18VS 15-16(Mai's grade when plot line will start) grade 12**

 **I hope it clears some confusion**

 **;)**

 **Good night.**


	4. Chapter 4

**April**

Today was my first day of high school. The first thing I needed to do was find my number on the board and find my class so I was there pretty early so as to avoid the crowd I knew would be here any minute. When I noticed my number there was a sign beside it saying; _freshmen representative: Mai Taniyama.  
_ I mentally groaned as I realized I would be pressured to have top marks and be involved in the student council…  
As I finally got myself together, I noticed many students were giving me weird looks, because of my age or the fact I was just standing there ,I don't know. I hoped no one points me to the junior high school; that would be embarrassing. When I finally got to class I realized I still had an hour before the students arrive so I decided to settle for a nap. I noticed the seating plan and went to my seat near the window. I closed my eyes and fell into a light sleep.

When I awoke once more there were other students talking quietly in different parts of the room. Not long after that there was a huge influx of students just as the bell rang. Seconds after that, a tall woman with typical Japanese features walked in. She was wearing a pencil skirt and a professional looking blouse. She smiled a soft smile and introduced herself.

"Hello everyone my name is Misaki Matsui and I am your homeroom teacher. You were placed in class 1-A because your grades were above average or highly advanced. This is not a prestigious academy, but the school offers a higher degree of education to those who require more advanced material. Please note this is not a competition. You will not be kicked out if you don't have the best grades, but if you feel uncomfortable with this class you can talk to me about transferring to the regular program." She smiled reassuringly when she said that last part.

Misaki-sensei then explained our schedule for the day "Today we are introducing ourselves and I want each of you to say something about yourself, anything really, from your favorite color to your dreams to what you ate this morning. Anything goes." She repeated. "Now don't be shy and we start with Abakiwa-san."

She started with the row closest to the door so that means I will be one of the last to introduce myself.

I heard a lot of different facts about my classmates:

"I want to be a physical trainer."  
"I love the color purple."  
"My mom makes the best cookies ever!"  
" My favorite food is ramen."

And after a while it was my turn. "I am Taniyama Mai and I love to hear ghost stories." I really wanted to make new friends this year or I would be insanely lonely in this class.

Xoxoxoxox

The rest of the morning was relatively calm. We talked about the curriculum, different clubs and now we were assigning class representatives. Two people volunteered. There was a boy who looked serious and athletic and a girl with a calm demeanor. They both looked like they were eager for the position and they got it, since no one else raised their hand.

"Now that we've got this all figured out you guys can take a break since it's almost lunch time" When people started talking over her she cut them off sharply "But, she continued after a moment of silence, after that we are heading to the auditorium for the opening ceremony. Do _not_ be late." She finished sternly, then walked to her desk and continued to fill out some random paperwork.

After that I took out the lunch Yukimura-san packed for me this morning: an eggroll with rice on the side, mixed in with various vegetables. A girl with blonde hair and glasses approached me. She seemed a bit shy as she tentatively tried to start a conversation with me. I enjoyed talking to her and then she asked with a stutter "Um, Taniyama-san? When you said you liked ghost stories I got curious...W-would you tell me one?"

I smiled, pleased that she remembered and answered "Sure! There was one I read online that gave me the creeps...Are you sure you want to hear it?" I asked teasingly, smiling to reassure her I was kidding.

I only noticed the boy who overheard us when he called out to the class "Hey! Mai's going to tell us a ghost story. Who wants to hear?"

It was silent for a moment but after you could hear my classmates whisper to each other with curiosity, some outright said 'yes' and our teacher was looking at us with a fond look on her face. I looked to the boy who stated this and he grinned at me, as bright as the sun looking completely innocent, as if he was oblivious to the attention everyone was giving me. I didn't sense any animosity from him so he wasn't trying to make fun of me which reassured me as I mentally forgave him. I can do this, I've told Shizuka and Akane plenty of stories, so a crowd shouldn't be a big deal. I took a deep breath and started.

"This is a story from a ghosts perspective and I thought it was very interesting despite being so short...

It was the sound of laughter and children's voices that caught my attention. Curious, I materialized in my old bedroom and went out into the hallway to peer over the railing by the grand staircase. The voices had come from the Great Hall, where the house tours gathered. Yes, there were two children scampering about, to the distraction of their parents. An older boy and a tousled haired little toddler who reminded me of my own daughter at that age.  
"No, no Alicia. Don't touch," her mother agonized at the little girl flung herself onto a rocker by the fireplace.  
Alicia. No wonder I had felt compelled to return. There was an Alicia in this house again. How appropriate. There had been an Alicia in every generation of our family from the 1600s to the present. We'd called my little Alicia "Timmie", I reminisced.  
The tour began, and I followed them eagerly, floating down the stairs and hovering in the grandmother's hallway. Little Alicia was swung up into her father's arms as the group moved into the library next door. Looking over his shoulder, the tousle-haired youngster saw me. She lifted her hand to me. "Hi!" she piped.  
"Hi back," I returned solemnly. Her father glanced vaguely around, but did not see who his child was addressing. I grinned conspiratorally at the little toddler and winked. She tried to wink back, blinking her blue eyes several times in rapid succession, her face crinkling with the effort. I chuckled softly and followed the group into the dining room.  
I swished passed Alicia's mother and went through the butler's pantry into the kitchen. Behind me, Alicia's mother shivered and asked: "Is there a draft in here?" I looked at the picture of my little Timmie on the back of the stove. Yes, this little Alicia resembled her. I perched myself on a table in the corner of the room and listened as the tour guide discussed Father's obsession with southern biscuits and showed everyone the huge bin of coffee. Alicia waved a hand at me from her father's shoulder. "Lady," she said very clearly to her mother, pointing at me. Her mother looked straight at me, seeing nothing but the table. Alicia's brother turned my way and squinted very hard, as if he might be able to make out my outline if he stared hard enough. I smiled at him.  
I floated up and up through the ceiling then and settled myself in the little toy room on the upper landing, waiting for Alicia to come upstairs. I heard her little voice insisting that her father put her "down". Then the sound of little feet chugging mightily as she climbed the steps. With a smile, the woman looking into the toy room moved aside so Alicia and her brother could take a look. I couldn't resist. "Peek-a-boo!" I called, appearing suddenly around the doorway. Alicia laughed in delight. "Peek-boo!" she giggled, hiding her eyes behind her hands. Obediently, her big brother did the same. He obviously loved this tiny moppet.  
"Come on Peek-a-Boo," Alicia's father said indulgently, picking her up again and taking her with him up to the second floor hallway. I went to stand by the grand staircase again, watching the tourists move in and out of the guest rooms. Alicia waved to me as they entered my room, then around to my parents' bedroom and out past the bath to the game room. Father had loved playing billiards with his guests, I mused with a smile, touching one of the balls with the tip of my finger. Beside me, the tour guide was telling the visitors about our buffalo herd. Father had been very worried about the bison. So many of them were being killed. So he bought a herd and they roamed the roads and byways around Kalispell freely all their lives. After the head male died of old age, Father had his head stuffed by my uncle, and his head still hung in the game room.  
I floated up to the third floor and sat in one of the wicker chairs as the guide took the guests around to the sewing room, father's private hideaway, the laundry room, our game room. Alicia ran all around, laughing and stomping her little feet in her cunning sneakers. She flung herself into my lap and we stared happily at one another, giggling together, until her mother came running. "No, no Alicia. Mustn't touch."  
The tour was nearly over. The group gathered in the back hallway – the Grandmothers hallway – for one last bit of history. The guide showed them the 'secret' hiding places in the wall and showed them a note I'd written to my grandmother many years ago. Then they were saying goodbye, and Alicia waved her little hand to me as her parents exited through the door of the gift shop.  
"Goodbye Alicia," I called as her brother walked right through me. That felt strange to me, but worse for him I think. He turned pale and shivered. Then made a bolt for the door.  
"Bye-bye," Alicia called back to me as her brother pushed his father aside and fled out the screen door and down the steps to the drive.  
"That place is creepy," he told his mother as they walked together into the garden. 'I think it's haunted!"  
Haunted, I thought, amused. By happy memories, certainly. And perhaps occasionally by something else! I leaned out the window and waved once more to little Alicia, though the toddler didn't see me. Then I vanished. "

I trailed off at the end with a wistful voice as I looked at my classmates.

Hana, the shy girl who asked me to tell the ghost story then complimented it when she said "I like how you told the story as if you were the ghost. It... was not like I expected. I thought you would say how everyone died and stuff like that. I'm glad that I was wrong."

The general consensus from the class was that the story was nice, perfect for lunchtime.

I suddenly had an idea. "Hey! How about every week we have someone prepare a ghost story! We can take turns. It'll be fun, just consider it a class activity! You can write your own story or find one online and we can share them with each other!" I finished with an expectant smile ad to my surprise they all agreed. The class reps got up and the girl, who I now know as Kyoko, added some rules .

"No one will be allowed to share the same story. If it's a long story you can do it as a pair. We will get a list with the number of weeks we have during the school year. If your name is written and you're not ready you can switch with someone. Everyone will be required to do 2 stories and stories done with a partner also count. We are 25 students that means 50 stories in 42 weeks, excluding those done in teams. Try not to tell the same story twice. Now that I have explained the rules, does everyone agree?"

Everyone was quick to agree (and that's how Maitogami high school got its first ghost club.)  
xox

The bell rang and we were all headed to the welcoming ceremony. It was as boring as I thought it would be. I almost fell asleep a couple of times but Hana was quick to distract me. After school was done I packed my stuff, said goodbye and headed off to work. When I got there I was immediately rushed to make some tea for the customers and serve their food. I was so busy I barely noticed the hours pass by and soon it was late and I had to go home. The manager offered to walk with me since our homes were in the same direction. She told me it wasn't safe at night to walk home alone and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer even though she 'offered'.

Soon I was back home. I greeted Yukimura-san (MI-YA-KO! She keeps insisting) and went to bed. I fell asleep when my head hit my pillow and wondered what tomorrow will hold for me.

 **Sorry this came so late! I lost my USB key with the chapter on it so I was delayed. I found it yesterday so...here you go! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

_It was dark._

 _I never saw it coming._

 _All I could feel was pain as the car crashed into my side..._

 _The car is red and there's a woman in the driver's seat._

 _Suddenly I'm not the victim but the woman in the car and the corpse in front of me looked up-my heart stuttered as I recognized that person-and uttered "It's your fault, you killed me. You could have saved me; why did you kill me?"_

GASP

I woke up gasping and sobbing.

"Itwasjustadream, it was just a dream, it's not my fault" (It _is_ )

"Mai?" Miyako asked blearily from the door. "I'm coming in."

She came in, saw me, then immediately took me into her arms as I reveled in the comfort she provided shamelessly.

"Shh, shh, it'll be okay... you'll see everything will be fine in the end..."

Trust Miyako to pretend she knew what was happening, or maybe she did on some level, we have been living together for over a year. I calmed down after that.

"Thanks Miyako." I whispered honestly.

"Anytime Mai. Do you want me to call the school and notify them of your absence?" At that all my thoughts screeched to a halt. A teacher encouraging truancy? She must have seen the look on my face 'cause she laughed and explained herself,

"Sometimes it's okay to take a day off, you certainly need it, and as long as this doesn't become a habit-" at this she gave me a sharp look in warning "-you can stay home today." With that she left me alone to my thought's.

It wasn't the first time that I dreamed of Gene's 'supposed' death and I know it won't be the last. I think the only thing that would stop the nightmares is to see him in person and I know that that won't happen anytime soon.

Did you think I was gonna let him die without a fight? No way! I'm not selfish enough, or cruel enough, to pick and choose who has the right to live or die. I have knowledge and I'm going to use it.

I knew he died before Mai was 15.

 _In a little over year, I'll be fifteen._

I sent anonymous emails from the library on numerous occasions.

I sent anonymous letters (written in English) from different post offices all over Shibuya detailing different facts like Gene was the mischievous twin and Noll was the serious type, that Gene dies in a car crash while in Japan, random facts that I read on the wiki like; his physical appearance, his birthday (September 19th), the fact that Naru will be unable to use his PK without Gene at the risk of heart failure...

I literally called SPR and straight up told them, on the payphone. ($My poor change$) Needless to say that many people hung up on me, but I hope that the few that didn't actually told Martin Davis or anyone else who may mention it to Gene and Naru.

I did all 3 of these things so many times it was almost second nature.

I know that if Gene dies, there will always be a part of me saying _what if...And I can't live like that._

Oxoxo

It's the beginning of July and my 14th birthday is days away. I'm moving out of Miyako's house and into my own apartment. We went looking for a place a few months ago and this was my favorite one still available at this point. It was recently renovated and holds a few western features but it's pretty ordinary. It has a living\dining room, a kitchen, a spacious bathroom (with a tub!) and a bedroom. The rent wasn't that expensive, but I knew it could have been cheaper. The only reason I didn't pick a cheaper place was because they all looked like pig pens and required too many renovations to count. So yeah, the more expensive one it is!

All of the things I needed were easily found in my storage unit; a bed, a dresser, pots, pans, plates, soap, fridge, laundry machine... You get the point.

I sold a few items online because I couldn't keep all this clutter. It's too much, and I don't need clothe that don't fit, 5 mirrors, 2 beds, and 2 antique tables in my home.

I was wondering if I should hire some people to help me move but that problem solved itself.

I invited a few people from my class to help me out in exchange for my tutoring.

That's a complete lie.

They invited themselves.

It's all Yamamoto's fault.

You know, the guy that got me to tell a ghost story to the classroom?

Definitely his fault. ( _though I won't tell him that it made me_ happy)

 _Here's what happened:_

 _-Flashback-3rd POV_

 _We were discussing our math exam results._

 _Hana "I only got 72%" she moaned grumpily.  
Yamamoto "Don't be sad! I got 60%..." he trailed off laughing sheepishly.  
Kyoko "I received 88 % on this test. I am quite disappointed with myself. I studied meticulously and yet got a meager result." She droned with her usual voice; it practically _demands _attention.  
Hana "What did you get Mai?" she asked with curiosity, after all she was the freshmen representative.  
Mai "98%" she replied distractedly, too engrossed in her book to notice their reaction.  
Yamamoto's grin widened and he asked "You study a lot, right Mai?"_

" _Mmhm."_

" _And you understand what we are studying?"_

" _Mmhm"_

" _And you'll tutor us next Sunday?"_

" _Mmhm-_ wait, what?" she yelped, surprised.

" _Thank you Mai! Now when and where?"_

" _Never and nowhere, besides I'm busy this weekend."_

" _Doing what?" This was Hana, who had listened to their banter amused._

" _I'm moving out of Miyako-san's house and moving to my new apartment."_

" _Wait, isn't Miyako your mom?" she responded, a little out of her depth._

" _Nope, she's been my legal guardian since my mom passed away, and I'll be legally emancipated next week, so I decided to move out."_

 _There was a moment of silence until Yamamoto exclaimed-_

" _Yosh! Next weekend well help you move out and you can tutor us after school on Monday. Does that work with everyone?"_

" _It is acceptable" Kyoko responds first as opposed to her silence earlier in the conversation._

" _Sounds like fun! My uncle has a moving van he can lend us!" And yes that was Hana._

" _No! You shouldn't do that! I would hate to impose on your uncle, or you guys as a matter of fact." Mai said a little flustered._

" _It's not a problem, my uncle loves helping out. Plus, we volunteered so it's fine. So?" Hana had that determined glint in her eyes and when Mai looked towards Yamamoto and Kyoko she noticed they had mirrored it._

 _They all directed that look towards Mai who sighed, exasperated yet amused. "Okay, I'm outnumbered, just let me give you my address."_

 _And that was that._

 _-End of Flashback-_

I don't know how he does it, but he always seems to be in the middle of these situations.

Then the weekend came and I was in my new apartment in record time. We had loads of fun; we got to know each other better, we told the other's our childhood stories and I cooked them dinner: Pizza.

They were surprised when I suggested the Italian dish instead of a typical Japanese one and I then explained that I heard that when people moved they shared pizza and drinks with those that helped them.

 _(Which isn't completely true as I had done it once before, as I thought of my first place in another life.)_

At least everyone enjoyed it; it was delicious.

End-

 **Sorry for the wait, and see you next time!**

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	6. Chapter 6

**Wow...I just realized that I incorporated Katekyo Hitman Reborn! Characters in my story... by accident...o_o**

 **I mean, how could I not notice: Hana,** _ **Kyoko, YAMAMOTO?!**_

 **I personally have not watched or even read KHR, but I am partial to the fanfictions about it. Check it out!**

 **Ooooo**

Secretary's office SPR: 3rd POV

Samantha put down the phone with a pensive look on her face. She had been receiving calls like these twice a month for a year like clockwork, it was nothing new, but the woman on the phone was calling more often now, every week at 3 PM. This last call shook her and filled her with uncertainty and doubt. She scowled, she was a professional she shouldn't be unnerved by a simple call, but despite everything she told herself she couldn't shake off that last warning...

" _Please! I'm not doing this for recognition, fame, money or a cruel joke! I keep seeing him die, and if he does I won't be able to live with myself! Please warn him away from Japan, don't let Eugene come here alone, please listen to me, I'm running out of time!"_

There was a 99% chance that the caller was a fraud, a fake, a mentally unstable person or even a person pulling off a prank, these were not good odds. The only reason it was even at 1% is the frequent phone calls, the fact that the story did not change and the various other warnings that were sent to them by the same person. Any other person would have given up in a month, 2 months maximum, but this caller has been at it for over a year and is showing no signs of giving up.

What was also really odd about the caller was the fact that she knew things she shouldn't ...know. She was oddly accurate about the twins personalities (though not many people know the famous doctor Davis is a teenager)

Samantha was pulled out of her thoughts by the arrival of Professor Martin Davis and his brilliant son Oliver who had published his first book over two years ago, when he was 14 years old. The now 16-year-old young man (he would've taken offense to 'boy') was clearly upset about something as he followed his father into the office. Samantha stood and greeted the professor as she always did.

"Hello Professor Davis. How are you today?"

The professor pouted a bit and replied "How many times have I told you to call me Martin, Samantha?"

She smirked a bit and replied in the same professional tone she greeted him with "Every work day, of every week, all year long save holidays, sir." She _has_ worked with SPR for over 8 years after all. She was allowed a little cheekiness towards the man she considered her favorite uncle. They weren't related by blood, but SPR was a family and that's all there was to it.

"Very funny" he replied good-naturedly.

"Thank you, sir. Hello Oliver, how are you? You seem upset..."

"I am merely displeased. Father has authorized Gene to go to Japan to study their mediums, _alone,_ until I finish my latest studies so I could join him."

Samantha felt her heart stop for a moment. He couldn't have just said...

"What was that? Could you repeat what you said?" Noll must have noticed how she tensed up because he narrowed his eyes at her in calculation and Martin looked up from the papers he was leafing through to stare at her puzzled.

He decided to humor her and repeated very clearly "Gene is going to Japan. _Alone."_

In another world, Samantha would have cooed over how cute Noll was, worrying for his twin brother.

In another world, Samantha would have talked about how Gene was responsible enough to take care of himself in a country he knew the language.

In another world, Samantha would have been filled with guilt because she believed Gene died because of her. She would of quit SPR and live her life with regret in her heart.

In another world, Eugene Davis would have died.

 _This is not that world._

" _Martin_ , do not allow Eugene to go to Japan."

Both the men's eyes widened in surprise when they heard the resolve in her voice. Heck, she would've been proud if not for the bone chilling terror she heard in her voice. She made eye contact with Martin and continued.

"We have been receiving calls for over a year, from a woman in Japan whose identity is unknown. Its always the same warning: _Do not allow Eugene Davis to come to Japan alone, or he will most likely die..._ I wasn't going to tell you unless she either came here to prove her powers or if what she said was coming true and as you can see... I can't dismiss her anymore."

The mood in the office was somber. It was Oliver who broke the silence.

"This... hasn't happened before. Pre-cognitive abilities are usually limited to minutes, rare are the cases where they happen hours before the event, but here we are talking about years. This shouldn't be possible. If we think about it, this could be a mutation in the abilities of a psychic or the people involved are very intertwined in a spiritual sense. There are so many possibilities that it would be impossible to confirm anything even if we could find her, whoever _she_ is."

Martin looked at Samantha. "I guess Gene is going to have to wait to go to Japan"

Noll smirked victoriously and stated "You should have listened to me; I was right after all"

Samantha swore that she could _see_ his ego growing in size, then she blinked and it was gone. She shrugged and got back to work, pondering what was just revealed... Was it a coincidence or not?

 **That's a rap!**

 **Originally this scene was extremely small but I started typing and I could not stop until this was finished. This chapter was originally intended to explore Mai's abilities and a bit more into her paranormal studies+ school life but that'll be next chapter!**

 **Also, my summary sucks so I'm going to have to ask you guys to send me previews for a new summary! YAYYY!**

 **PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW ON YOUR WAY OUT!**


	7. Chapter 7

I'm now 15 years old.

It feels like any day I could go to school and see Naru there, alone looking for the corpse of his other half.

I shouldn't linger on these things though so I have been keeping myself distracted.

Yes. I've been trying to train my powers but it's kind of difficult if you don't have a mentor to teach you.

Astral projection is a highly dangerous art to practice without mental and physical fortitude or without a spirit guide. It's like walking in total darkness .Without the right tools, you can get lost, you can trip and get hurt and an animal (or ghost in this case) can attack.

If you get lost, you can't return to your body. If you don't return to your body, it falls into a deep sleep called _a coma_. I _like_ living, thank you very much.

As for my ESP, I made sure to pay attention to any weird feelings. Latent ESP users can use their abilities their entire life without realizing it, it's an innate ability, completely natural (or as natural as the supernatural).

Being a medium is a little bit more complicated. They feel on a different level than others, they gather more information than others could by simply walking down a street of houses. They feel impressions, emotions, memories… Of course, most don't actually know what they are feeling, others can't describe it to them, it's something that can keep them guessing for years at a time.

Like trying to read a different language no one but you can see. It can be overwhelming at times, but I can feel an atmosphere and name the emotion inhabiting it. What I can't do is see spirits all the time unless they're all out warped or if I am a person of emotional importance to them (I carefully ignored the pang I felt at that thought)

I do feel like my ability to be a medium isn't natural. It feels forced. I can only assume it's because I'm aware of my reincarnation. There isn't that much information out there so I put whatever theories I wanted to try on hold, for now.

The only paranormal event that happened to me in the last few months is feeling an oppressive energy in the hospital, when Yamamoto broke his arm (he really reminds me of an anime character)

I've stopped calling SPR, because it would be too late at this point and also because I had a feeling I didn't need to anymore. It's time to move on. _Que sera, sera_. They will never know what the future could have held and I will most likely never see them if Gene was alive, which is good, but I couldn't help but mourn the opportunity of working with Oliver Davis himself. (All in good fun, because if Gene died I wouldn't have worked with him anyway. I would've given him the location and disappeared from his life.)

If I hadn't been born in this universe I would have never pursued the paranormal because of all the vague unconfirmed information from my last reality. In the so called other world where I lived as Maria, ghosts were fiction and nightmare, but here where Mai lives and breathes, Oliver Davis exists and so does the supernatural. I am so glad I get to explore these strange new (to me) phenomena.

I am starting my third year soon, and then I will be going to college, again. They have a parapsychology class in Todo so I need high grades, which isn't too much of a problem as much as the tuition fee is. They have huge standards over there and everyone and their brother wants to go there. I just have to be the best. Easier said than done.

I just hope I make it when it comes to that point.

The restaurant I work at is looking for a new part time employee, and guess who got the job? Hanna. She didn't even know I worked there until I was appointed as her mentor for the day. It's nice having a friend work with me, plus this allowed us to bond more as friends. The manager didn't mind us having fun as long as we worked hard and respected those around.

My two groups of friends have met during a get together at my place… it was explosive!

Hanna and Akane get along like a house on fire.

Shizuka and Kyoko are both staring at each other as if they could recognize how similar they are.

And Yamamoto is… well, he's… the only boy at my house. Poor guy was probably surprised he was my only male friend. So to break the ice surrounding himself he decided to be his usual goofy self and share embarrassing stories about me to Akane and Shizuka and in turn they shared their s from my middle school days. Its days like these that remind me that despite the extra memories I was still a child

Shizuka talked about her two years at seishou private high school.

It turns out that she hated the academy she was sent to. ' _Stuck up, childish, spoiled, self-entitled brats with their daddy's money'_ was what she said and I was about to point out that she herself was childish when she gave me a look that told me to keep quiet _or else_.

Her parents relented that she could go to a private all girls' school 2 hours away (compared to two days away). The school Shizuka was enrolled in was familiar, I just couldn't pinpoint where I had heard it before… Maybe they sent me a scholarship?

Yamamoto then mentioned that they were known for their extra-curricular activities. Most commonly art and volleyball. They won a few competitions in those categories.

As the night progressed we decided to watch a movie. They decided on an American movie called The Purge. It wasn't all that great, but the idea behind it is fascinating; what if one night a year all crime was legal. We than had debates on the flaws in such a system would have. I like to analyze movies after I watch them and with my friends around me doing the same thing I felt inexplicably giddy.

Time is going by quickly and by the end of the night it was decided that we would do this once a month.

Once that was decided I told my friends to go home.

"Seriously, I've been looking at your faces all night. My mirror might get jealous."

I've been inspired to imitate a certain narcissist when joking.

Kyoko realized what I was doing and a snort of laughter followed that realization.

"What did we say about you attempting to make jokes?" was the exasperated answer.

My response was immediate "to stop 'cause I suck at it?"

A smug smile found itself on her face as she petted my head like a dog and repeated "Good girl" a few times.

Yup, I can't make very good jokes so don't expect me to make any good ones any time soon.

They left soon after, and I was once again alone in the house. I started cleaning up the table but stopped when I realized I didn't lock the door.

I was on my way to the front of the house when I heard someone knock.

I was immediately on guard.

Its late, why would someone knock on my door?

I locked the door as I got there and called out

"Hello?"

It was creepily silent for a moment before they spoke.

"Hello, this is the police. We received a call about a robbery in the apartment below you. Could we ask you a few questions?"

That was weird. I didn't hear anything coming from downstairs, and if I knew anything about Miss Ayanokiji was that she had a pair of lungs the size of a football field, meaning she would be cursing up a storm and everyone would know it if someone broke in. And another thing;

"Why aren't there any sirens outside?"

There was a moment of silence, and then all hell broke loose.

There was the sound of a body hitting the door, as if trying to break it open. I think I heard something crack but I'm not sticking around to find out.

I immediately ran to the phone and dialed the real police.

I don't want to be a victim in this badly planned home invasion.

Why would they try here anyway, I'm not rich, most of my money is sitting in the bank and the only entertainment systems I have are a computer and an old bulky TV.

" _This is the police, how may I help you?"_

I rushed the words out before I could process them.

"There's two men trying to break my door down, I think they have weapons."

"… _miss can I have your address?"_ "928 Sakurahane apartment B-2."

" _They're on their way. Can you tell me how many people are in the house?"_

"It's just me I live alone."

" _How old are you sweetie?"_

"…15"

" _Where are you in the house?"_

That's when I realized that the banging stopped and that there was something jiggling my door handle.

"They're picking my lock… I'm going to hide myself in the kitchen." I whispered fearfully.

My pantry was kind of large and I had towels and dry foods in there. Or that's what it looks like. There's a tiny gap in the back that lets me go unnoticed. It must have been installed by the previous tenant. I don't see the point of it being there, but I'm so glad it is.

" _Miss? Could I have your name please?"_

I whispered back "Taniyama Mai"

" _They should arrive at your apartment in 4 minutes. In the mean time I want you to keep quiet. Are you well hidden? If yes blow on the phone, I will hear it. If no, keep quiet. Can you do that Mai-chan?"_

I blew a breath at the speaker.

" _That's good. Now, I want you to stay there. No matter what you hear, you do not speak, you do not move, you do not sneeze. I want you to keep nice even breaths and listen to the sound of my voice…"_

I heard it, the sound of my door finally opening. I heard heavy footfalls on my floor. They were in the hallway. I think one of them is going to my room. I got the feeling these were disgusting men. I just still don't understand why.

"… _Mai? Mai! Can you hear me?"_

I gently blew on the speaker.

Thump. Thump.

" _Good. Are they in the apartment?"_

Another gust of wind.

Thump. Thump. T-Thump- Thump.

"Im going to stop talking but I am still on the line. Only 2 minutes left okay? Then I'm coming over and we are going to eat ice cream, together, unharmed."

All my fears grounded to a halt. My breath was evening out. I was just so hysterical, and all it took to stop it was ice cream. Of fu*****l course.

I wanted to laugh so badly right now, but all that was coming out were silent tears.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Thump. Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

I feel drained…

Then finally, FINALLY! The police were here. I could hear them outside, those sirens blasting out that god awful sound.

It's over. But that doesn't mean I'm going to move just yet.

I think, about ten minutes later, some men came in the kitchen. They called my name for a bit then decided to wait.

I slowly crawled out of my hiding place.

"Miss? Could you come with us? We need you to see the paramedic."

I nodded not trusting my voice.

When I passed my doorway I noticed almost all of my neighbors' were up and about. They were all chattering like frightened chickens. Miss Ayanokiji was being hefted on a stretcher. She had a blood on her forehead. They must have visited her first. The police led me to the second ambulance.

My surroundings blurred together. I was safe.

Then my mind started working a mile a minute. I know this world doesn't revolve around me. I could have easily died just now.

This didn't happen to the previous Mai. I wouldn't expect it to. We were different people. I could have just as easily chosen a different apartment than her. Things like this comfort me. The differences not the danger. They reassure me I'm not a cheap copy of who could have been.

I want ice cream.

 **So things kind of spiraled out of control at the end. I want Mai to evolve, change, have MORE to her.**

 **It's just my character sometimes feels hollow.**

 **This chapter was to prove she's not invisible. She just got a scare, nothing too crippling.**

 **I hope to be able to post more soon.**

 **Merry Christmas.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Last time on Second Chance:** _Some men broke into my apartment. I called the police and luckily they got there on time. I really want ice cream._

I was lead to an ambulance where a paramedic checked on me. I had a shock blanket on and everything! I was still shaken by the prior events but I wasn't that bad.

After he checked me he handed me over to the police officers with a reassuring smile and encouraging words.

They brought me to the station to take my statement. They then informed me off what little they uncovered in the last hour.

"The two men went to your neighbor's house and robbed her. They then got cocky and decided they had enough time to rob another house before leaving. You were lucky. They had tools and weapons. The reason they were caught was because they are dumb pieces of shit." This was said by a rough looking cop. He was elbowed by his colleague who then apologized

"Its fine." I replied looking at them with a faint smile. "I appreciate the distraction." And I did. I was eager to finish this and get some sleep.

After my statement was taken they led me to an office. In the corner was a futon.

"It's very rare that someone lives alone at your age. A social worker is coming tomorrow to assess your mental state and to make sure you have the proper support you need to continue your daily life. You are currently not allowed in your home. Your stuff is safe and a locksmith is going to your house to repair your door tomorrow."

He then told me "The phone operator said she would buy you ice cream tomorrow, don't know why though."

I laughed softly and went to bed.

This is going to be a crappy week.

...

It is now April and the start of my third year. All the freshmen are in the gymnasium and as the student representative of the school I have to participate in the welcoming speech. I didn't really have to do anything except welcome the new students and name the freshmen representative whose name was provided to me.

"I welcome all of you to this new school year. ... Let's have a great year!" That basically sums it up.

Most of my speech was improvised and it was kind of short for an opening speech but it got its point across. My year mates were cheering and the others were clapping politely.

It's kind of sad that my school years are coming to an end again, but all those regrets about it in my past life were gone. I was the best student I could be and excelled under the dedication of my teachers. In a few months I'm taking my exams for Todo and hoping for the best.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the three years I was here a ghost story club was created. Surprisingly I was not the one to actually do that, it was some of my classmates who liked how we did things and decided to let everyone in the school join in. Of course not everyone was interested and it took a lot of time to convince the principal that, no, they were not in fact creating a cult.

Some first years joined. Surprisingly I met my counterpart's would-be friends and Kuroda at the club meet and greet. She had a scowl on her face that became even more pronounced as I walked in. I wonder why?

A few weeks later she confronted me.

"Taniyama-san, I'm very psychic. Telling all these ghost stories is attracting small spirits who attract even bigger spirits! It's giving me a headache!" she said as we started the bi-weekly meeting.

"How dare you talk to Mai-senpai like that!" some other first year gasped. I sensed that this was going nowhere fast and reacted.

"It doesn't work like that." I blurted out.

Kuroda looked at me in anger.

"What, you don't believe me? This is why I hate dealing with non-psychic people, they-"

"It's not that," I interrupted before she could insult her classmates indirectly "It's just that if this place was haunted by a strong spirit, it would listen to us but this place was never haunted in the first place. There's no pull on which a strong spirit could latch upon."

They stared at me a little.

"Kuroda-san, would you care to walk with me for a moment?" I then grabbed her hand and dragged her away before she recovered her wits.

I lead her down to an empty classroom and led her to a seat.

I looked at her in the eyes and began softly.

"Before you get all worked up again, you should know that I fully believe in psychic phenomena. It's kind of hard not to when I myself am a latent psychic." She looked at me in doubt. "I can prove it to you later, but for now we need to talk about the consequences of your words earlier."

She looked at me in worry.

"Consequences?"

I gave her a placating smile.

"Nothing as serious as what you're thinking. It's more on its impact on other people and the psychic research field. The lie you spoke earlier, and don't deny that it was a lie, can seriously affect a person's perspective on these matters. You are damaging your reputation and you are getting angry for all the wrong reasons."

I sensed her energy stirring and quickly tried to shut it down.

"You are a psychic." And just like that her energy froze.

"Why would you believe me?" she asked with skepticism

"I can feel it. When you said it I could feel the truth in your words. You can have friends here. This school is _so accepting_ ; the students will be fine with it. But once you lie, they won't believe you. It's an unending circle. You can't just push people into believing whatever. Just be yourself, and I know that's not what you want to hear but it's up to you how you live and breathe. You can't stagnate like this. Become more than a victim of isolation."

She looked at me shocked at how direct I am being.

I then came to a realization.

"Oh god, that sound so cheezy!"

Kuroda was now looking tentatively amused.

"Thanks, Taniyama-senpai."

I guess she understood me at least.

"Anytime Kouhai. Though you don't have to call me senpai; were the same age.

That brought another slew of explanations but the end of club time I was sure we would be good friends.

I got caught up in my impression of her in the anime, I wasn't quite sure how to feel about her. Personally, she was an irritating character in the show. Now? She's very kind if a bit petty at times. I just think she's lonely. No one should be as isolated as her, it leads to so much damage and confidence issues.

I am glad I could help, and I am glad we can study and talk about the supernatural together.

...

Break time and lunch time at the beginning of the year sucked. Everyone knew what happened to me and the fact that I was an orphan got me a lot of attention, both positive and negative.

Good thing my friends started circling me like sharks. It was a bit disconcerting at the start but they eased off when the rumors and gossip died down.

I moved to another apartment a little closer to a busier neighborhood that was close to many restaurants and stores nearby because I couldn't stay in my apartment anymore without being reminded of the incident.

My social worker hesitantly allowed me to continue living alone on the condition I visit a therapist for a month or less depending on the therapist's analysis, and that I consent to a few more visits from her every few weeks. She got some funds so that I could install a few more locks on my door, under the pretenses of safety and psychological need after a traumatic experience.

Which, considering what happened might be marginally true. (Maybe)

...

The sakura trees are now blossoming as the season continues.

It is almost April but I feel like saying winter, is coming. Get it? 'Cause the ... Nevermind. Cough.

What was I saying?

Oh, yes.

This is the month where I will know if my efforts were in vain or not.

The wait is the hardest part.

Time to see if my prayers were answered.

 **But thats for next time.**

 **Cut!**

 **Heyyyy! Its been a while howve you been. Youll be getting another chapter in a month max.**

 **Next time, the moment you've been waiting for...**

 **Enters, Naru and a mysterious identical figure.**

 **Guess which club theyre gonna visit first?**

 **Bye.**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE**

 **This hasn't been edited so point out any discrepancies you see. PLEASE**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE ABOVE**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE ABOVE**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE ABOVE**


	9. Chapter 9

It was a rainy Thursday afternoon.

School had just finished for the day and so I made my way to the classroom we usually used for club activities. We were about 6 people in the room at that point; lots of the other members went home early to escape the rain.

Today we were going through various stories featuring schools because a group of 5 girls band together to make a theme for the next meeting. They were so excited and made use of the flashlight game to tell them, you know, the one in the first episode? Well the last person in the room is a ghost. It's kind of lost the appeal to me because I'm forewarned before most things surprise me...

They were just settling in when one of the club leaders came in. She waited for everyone to settle down before speaking.

"Before we start up, Hana-senpai just announced that Chiaki-chan, Ichigo-kun and I were nominated as the new leaders for the club next year since the original members," at this she shot me a glance "are graduating at the end of the year."

After a round of squealing and applauding we began. Most of the stories were the originals but the last one was ironically about the old school house.

With the last light in the room on her, she began her tale.

"This ones about the old school house. It was being demolished until the workers suddenly quit because of a curse. Many tragedies have happened there over the years, most famously a teacher who committed suicide, so when they decided to build the new school, they started tearing down the old one, but then, a mysterious accident injuring several people ended the demolition. Last year they started the demolition again to make way for a new gymnasium, but a truck driving by lost control and crashed there killing some students..."

"So scary!" one of the freshman said. She sounded so cheerful when she said it.

That's when the story took a weird twist, for me that is.

"But there's more. I heard this from an upperclassman... one night a student was walking past the old school when the temperature dropped to almost freezing and she saw an apparition through the window, crying tears of blood..."

Then her light clicked off with a final click.

"One"

"Two"

"Three"

"Four"

"Five"

"Six"

"...Seven"

A sense of calm came over me just as a deeper voice called out "Eight".

A few of the girls screamed. Wow does that hurt the ears!

The light came on revealing a young man with a charming smile snickering a bit.

"Sorry about that, I couldn't help myself!" he said cheerfully.

As I took him in I felt my throat clog with tears and my heart beating with relief.

The stranger was wearing a dark blue long-sleeved shirt and jeans. His eyes were warm and keen, taking in the people with considering glances.

He wasn't Naru, but he sure looked it.

It's _Eugene_.

"Its fine", said one of the girls giggling, I guess she noticed how good he looked.

"What year are you?" said another a few came to see him up close.

I stayed in my seat just getting control of my emotions. As I felt better, I heard him answer.

"I'm seventeen this year." He looked a bit surprised that someone was asking that question for some reason.

"So, you're a senior?" asked Chiaki, batting her eyelashes at him.

Gene's face dawned in understanding. "Oh! That's what you meant! I don't actually go to school here; my brother is speaking to the principal. He told me to pass by this room; he said I would find it interesting. So, you guys tell ghost stories?"

"Among other things", said Chiaki, she obviously takes her job as a future leader of the club seriously, "The club is basically separated in two; one for fictional ghost stories and one for real events and theories on paranormal activities and research."

As she was talking I could see Gene's jaw dropping lower and lower on the ground until he suddenly exclaimed "That's amazing! So, the story of the school house is true?" he asked eagerly.

As one most of the girls turned to the one who told the story, but some of them turned to me with a questioning look.

The girl blushed under the attention, then shook her head.

"The events are true, but the curse and the last part was just fiction. It was to add some realism in the haunting. But there's so many things wrong with that building that I think it's haunted... Mai-senpai, is it haunted for real?"

Gene's POV

As one, all of the girls turned to a specific person.

Mai, what a nice name.

It's a girl, she looks in her teens like all the other people in this room. She has long brown hair that reaches just below her shoulder. Her eyes look like they're a honey brown. She straightened under the attention and effortlessly enraptured everyone's attention.

"There's nothing indicating that there are any ghosts in the building, but I don't that there's nothing wrong with the building itself. It's always creaking on its own, the glass cracks without any cause... it could be collapsing for all we know." She explained calmly.

She slowly stood up, "I'm going to head home now, I don't want to walk in the dark, you girls should go as well; the rain seems to have slowed down."

I looked at my watch and was surprised to see that it was indeed getting late. As she was getting ready she called out "Bye everyone and… Oops, where are our manners, we didn't ask you your name! I apologize. I'm Taniyama Mai, you are?"

I finaly met her eyes. They were so warm and inviting, I couldn't help but smile at her genuinely.

"I'm Shibuya Katsuki. It's nice to meet you Mai-chan!"

And with that she was gone.

I wasn't the only one smiling in the room.

I looked at the girl who spoke to me earlier in question.

She seemed to understand so she explained.

"Mai-senpai was one of the original members of the club. Before it was just for the fiction stories but now it has legitimate research in it because of her. She is also the kindest human being you will ever meet. She holds tutoring sessions with a lot of the students because she says that doing it helps her study, even when she's top of her year." She then sighed, "There's just something about her that pulls you in…"

The other girls in the room nodded in agreement that, yes, Mai was that nice.

She then surprised me when she continued with a dangerous smile on her face

"You better not be thinking of asking her out or a lot of people will come after you. It's for your own safety really."

The temperature in the room dropped but I don't think it's a ghost…

Scary!

Before I could respond the door slid open again and low and behold, my younger (twin) brother came in with the most peculiar look on his face. He glanced at me and said "Let's go, Katsuki."

 **OMG! THAT JUST HAPPENED!**

 **REVIEW THIS AND GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW YOU WANT NARU AND MAI TO MEET.**

 **(In case you didn't get it, Naru meets her before reaching Gene in the classroom.)**


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